The conventional techniques for forming endodontic therapy on teeth are time consuming and often do not accurately ensure that the entire canal system is filled with filler material. The typical means employed by endodonists or dentists performing root canal procedures is to first, thoroughly clean the root canal and remove as much of the pupal material as is practically possible. Thereafter, the practitioner inserts into the endodontically prepared root canal a quantity of filler material, usually gutta percha. The filler material is inserted into the prepared root canal by means of a manually operated tool in which small quantities of filler material are formed on the tool, and the tool is then inserted into the root canal to, after a sequence of repeated steps, fill the canal. The same or different dental tool is then used to press and pack the filler material. After the filler material has been positioned in the root canal, the opening in the tooth is filled with a hard material in the same way that a filling in a tooth is repaired.
This typical procedure for filling root canals has disadvantages in that it is time consuming, and effectiveness of the filling procedure is not consistence or predictable. Experience has shown that it is not possible to remove all of the pulpal remanents and contaminants from a root canal with current preparation techniques. If the pulpal remanents and contaminants are thoroughly entombed in the filler material, the endodontic therapy will normally be successful. If the remanents and contaminants are not thoroughly entombed, there is a high probability of failure of the endodontic therapy. Complete entombment of the remanents and contaminants requires complete obturation of the canal system. Experience has shown that failure to completely obturate the canal system is a primary cause of failure of endodontic therapy.
For background material to improved means of filling root canals reference may be had to U.S. Pat. No. 4,894,011 entitled "Appliance For Use in Applying Filler Material To An Endodontically Prepared Root Cana" and to U.S. Pat. No. 4,758,156 entitled "Tool For Use In Applying Filler Material To An Endodontically Prepared Root Canal."
An object of the present disclosure is to provide an improved apparatus and method for filling root canals with the objective of more quickly and effectively filling canals to not only save substantial time to the endodontist or dentist, but to reduce the possibility of incomplete obturation of the canal system.